The Coastal or Southern Sector is made up of 35,000 acres and is bordered by the San Diego (405) Freeway and the Pacific Ocean. This is where the initial planning of The Irvine Ranch® began, because it was the area where the Irvine Company faced the most immediate pressure to respond to circulation and land use decisions of surrounding cities.
In the early planning phases of The Ranch, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach were required by the County of Orange and local government agencies to develop plans within their spheres of influence. Since The Irvine Ranch land extends within the boundaries of both cities, The Irvine Company took hold of the opportunity to influence and guide the planning of both the Newport Beach and Laguna Beach spheres of influence.
Other factors that influenced planning in the Coastal Sector included Pereira’s study for the UCI site and surrounding land uses, as well as local planning and architecture in areas such as Balboa Island, which inspired and influenced the development of East Bluff and University Village and ultimately led to future planning concepts. Plans for the Coastal Sector were also impacted by planning for future circulation, infrastructure and open space for the Valley and Mountain Sectors of The Ranch.